Residential Gas Ranges Overview of Types How Carbon Monoxide is Emitted How They Operate Overview of Gas Range Types Rick Karg R.J. Karg Associates www.karg.com November 2001 2001 R.J. Karg Associates 2 Standing-pilot range Drop-in Range with sealed burners 3 4 Drop-in Range with sealed burners (GE) Older range with vented oven and side heater 5 6
Enclosed Controls make adjustment more difficult Enclosed Controls Enclosed controls area 7 8 Old Tappan Range Sealed burners, convection oven 9 10 Gas convection oven Convection fan Oven bake burner Gas convection oven Convection fan Oven bake burner 11 12
High-end range with sealed range top burners, radiant broil burner, and convection oven. Radiant broiler burner, convection oven 13 14 Infrared grill Infrared grill burner mesh 15 16 JENN-AIR range, gas burners JENN-AIR range top burner 17 18
JENN-AIR electric convection oven Kitchen Aide free-standing range, sealed burners 19 20 Kitchen Aide slide-in range, sealed burners AGA cook stove (English) 21 22 Heartland gas range Typical Label Locations Sealed top burners with electric convection oven 23 24
How Carbon Monoxide is Emitted from Ranges Carbon Monoxide from Combustion In all combustion sources of CO 1. the ratio of carbonaceous fuel to oxygen is either too high to permit the complete formation of CO 2, or 2. the temperature is too low to permit oxidation to occur. Source: An Introduction to Air Chemistry, Samuel Butcher and Robert Charlson, Academic Press, 1972, pp. 139-140 25 26 Carbon Monoxide from Combustion In all combustion sources of CO 1. the ratio of carbonaceous fuel to oxygen is either too high to permit the complete formation of CO 2... Caused by a. Too much fuel for amount of oxygen b. Not enough oxygen for amount of fuel 1) Improper air adjustment 2) Wrong fuel for setup (LP for nat. gas setup) 3) Dirty or improperly aligned burners Carbon Monoxide from Combustion In all combustion sources of CO... 2. the temperature is too low to permit oxidation to occur. Caused by a. Quenching by impingement 1) Pots and pans, no grate, improper grate spacing b. Quenching by too much airflow 1) Strong draft, air blowing across burner 27 28 Bunsen Burner Gas Flame Analysis 29 % BY VOLUME OF DRY FLUE GAS 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 % CARBON DIOXIDE % CARBON MONOXIDE % OXYGEN 50 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 % THEORETICAL AIR FUEL RICH SIDE EXCESS AIR SIDE IDEAL MIX OF AIR AND FUEL % CARBON DIOXIDE Theoretical Combustion Air Curves Actual percentage values vary for fuel being measured 30
Quality of Flames Gas Pressure Make sure pressure is set for 3 to 5 W.C. for natural gas or 9 to 11 for propane. If conversion from natural gas to propane was done improperly, CO is a likely by-product. 31 32 Orifice Size Dirty, damaged, or improperly sized orifice can result in CO. Clean dirty orifices. Replace damaged orifices (over tightening an adjustable orifice can damage it by distorting the shape of the needle). Replace orifices that are sized incorrectly. Primary-Air Shutter Adjustment If it is open or closed too far, CO can result. To adjust, open all the way, then slowly close until you see a well-defined blue flame that stays just above the burner ports. 33 34 Secondary-Air Supply Make sure nothing is restricting secondary airflow to the burners. This is more likely to occur with oven bake burners than with range top burners. Burner Air Tube Condition Dirty air tubes can block or misdirect air-gas flow. Check and clean all burner air tubes. 35 36
Gas Injection into Air Tube Orifice must inject air-gas mixture straight into the burner mixing tube. If the gas is injected at an angle, the amount of primary air will be reduced (less negative pressure) and CO will result. Burner Ports Clogged or dirty burner ports can result in CO. Clean each dirty port. Ream if necessary. 37 38 Over-Gassed Burners If flame appears to be too large or noisy, reduce the gas flow to the burner by Restricting the adjustable orifice. Reducing the gas pressure (propane to natural gas conversion). In gas oven, over gassed burner might extend flames beyond the edges of the flame spreader. If this has happened, check for warped flame spreader plates. Oven Flame Spreader Plate Warpage A warped spreader plate can increase CO emissions. If warped, replace. 39 40 Introduction to Gas Range Operation Standing-pilot range 41 42
Accessible top burners Standing pilot Pilot light 43 44 Pressure regulator & burner Pressure regulator Pressure regulator 45 46 Burner removal Burner removed 47 48
Adjustable orifice Orifice - adjustable - gas pressure check Adjustable orifice Orifice 49 50 Range Top Burner Schematic Adjustable Orifices 51 52 Adjustable orifice Orifice adjustment Tighten down for LP 53 54
Burner grate gone bad Cracked range top Zeroclearance grate Surface Burner Grate Height 55 56 Pot cools flame by impingement, but reduces draft, reducing quenching by airflow. Effect on CO...? Oven with vent outlet Oven vent outlet Oven bottom vents 57 58 Oven burner w/o oven bottom Oven pilot Oven burner lighting 59 60
Oven burner lit Oven burner & bottom 61 62 Oven burner from below Oven burner schematic 63 64 Oven burner schematic Problem... Skewed gas flow due to over tightening of adjustable orifice Sealed burner range 65 66
Sealed, Spill Proof Burner Sealed burners 67 68 Burner lighter Sealed burner orifice Orifice Sealed burner Orifice 69 70 Sealed burners assembled Burner ports Two-burner oven, broil burner Spreader plate Broil burner 71 72
Oven broil burner Spreader plate Broil burner Two Methods of Measuring Carbon Monoxide: As-Measured & Air-Free 73 74 Primary Air Combustion Air Air mixed with fuel before combustion. Secondary Air Additional air required for combustion during combustion process. Excess Air Air (oxygen) in excess of ideal amount. 75 Symbol L.E.L U.E.L Btu/cf Specific Gravity Ignition Temp. o F Properties of Gases Natural CH 4 5% 15% 1024 0.64 1170 Propane C 3 H 8 2.4% 9.8% 2500 1.52 900 76 Butane C 4 H 10 1.5% 7.3% 3200 2.0 825 CO as-measured vs. CO air-free Range protocol calls for both. CO as-measured is percentage or concentration. CO air-free is emission rate, adjusted (normalized) for zero excess-air conditions. Indoor ambient air CO must always be read asmeasured. CO as-measured Measured as percentage or ppm: 0.08% = 800ppm Measured with, e.g., Monoxor II or Testo 325. Diluted to varying degrees by excess air. Not a rate of emission, but a concentration. Protocol requires for measuring range top burners. Indoor ambient air CO must always be read asmeasured. 77 78
CO air-free Diluted CO as-measured sample is adjusted to simulate oxygen-free (air-free) conditions, that is, conditions with zero excess air (excess oxygen). This normalized CO air-free reading is still expressed as a ppm value, but it is actually an emission rate. Range protocol requires for measuring emissions from oven bake burners. Read with, e.g., Testo 300 or Bacharach PCA. 79 CO as-measured vs. CO air-free Oven A Oven B As-Measured CO = 18 ppm As-Measured CO = 209 ppm Oxygen = 20% Oxygen = 10% Air-Free CO = 400 ppm Air-Free CO = 400 ppm 80 From CO as-measured to CO air-free 100 COppm to COAFppm Multiplier Ranges CO CO air free air free 20.9 = x CO O 20.9 2 12.2 = x CO CO 2 ppm ppm Natural gas & propane Natural gas Multiplier 10 Range-Top Burner Gas Oven CO air free 14 = x CO CO 2 ppm Propane 1 Vented Appliance 0.8 1.8 2.8 3.8 4.8 5.8 6.8 7.8 8.8 9.8 10.8 11.8 12.8 13.8 14.8 15.8 16.8 17.8 18.8 19.8 20.8 Percent Oxygen (Excess Air) in Combustion Gas 81 82 And Finally... 83 ANSI Standards for CO Household Cooking Gas Appliances (Z21.1) 800 ppm air-free after all burners operate for five minutes (range top burners have 5 pounds of water on each). Storage Water Heaters, 75,000 Btuh or less (Z21.10.1). 400 ppm air-free for natural and induced draft and for power burners. Unvented Room Heaters (Z21.11.2). 200 ppm air-free. Gas-Fired Low-Pressure Steam and Hot Water Boilers (Z21.13). 400 ppm air-free. Gas-Fired Central Furnaces, except Direct-Vent (Z21.47). 400 ppm air-free with outlet of drafthood blocked Decorative Gas Appliances for Installation in Solid-Fuel Burning Fireplaces (Z21.60). 25 ppm as-measured or 400 ppm air-free. 84
Equipment Needed for Testing and Adjusting Gas Ranges Digital CO/Oxygen combustion analyzer Combustion gas detector CO Hot Pot U-Tube manometer Various hand tools Calculator Gas Match or other lighting device Vacuum cleaner Brushes and rags Flashlight 85 Minimizing Analysts Liability Calibrate equipment according to manufacturer s specs., usually every six months. Receive proper training. Record findings on each job. Install or recommend UL-approved CO alarm. Administer regimented client education. CO alarm use and maintenance. Don t use range as space heater. 86